Where to go

If you are travelling for leisure, you’ll find yourself mostly on the beaches in Jumeirah, at the shopping malls and developments of Downtown Dubai, at the restaurants along the Dubai Marina or in the old streets of Bur Dubai.

Deira

North of Dubai Creek, this is one of the oldest parts of Dubai and home to its many colourful souks and markets, like the Gold Souk, Spice Souk, and the Deira Fish Market.

The Corniche winds its way along the waterfront and is a wonderful place for a walk, as are the labyrinth of narrow lanes leading to the souks. Deira is also the location of many modern businesses, malls, and entertainment centres.

Bur Dubai

Considered to contain the oldest parts of Dubai, Bur Dubai on the south side of Dubai Creek is home to many historic sites and old buildings.

Browse the living museums of the Heritage and Diving VillageOpens external site in a new window in Al Shindagha and explore the souks. Or wander through the lanes of the historic Al Fahidi District, home to some of the only original Arabic wind-tower houses left on the Arab side of the Gulf, built by wealthy traders and pearl merchants.

The Dubai MuseumOpens external site in a new window is located inside the majestic Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787 to guard the landward approach to the city. The quarter is also home to many restaurants, art galleries, cafes, boutique hotels, and interesting shops, and is generally a lovely area for a stroll.

Dubai Marina

Dubai MarinaOpens external site in a new window is one of the best established modern districts in town. It’s built around the largest man made marina in the world and contains a number of top restaurants as well as outdoor recreation and entertainment complexes.

Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah is an extraordinary engineering feat; a series of reclaimed interconnected islands jutting into the Arabian Gulf that looks like a gigantic palm tree – complete with fronds and stem - when seen from above.

In and around the city

To get around Dubai, hail one of the cream taxis – the different coloured roofs indicate different operators – or use the public bus or driverless metro system that runs between the major financial and residential hubs of the city. There’s also the option of the hop-on hop-off busOpens external site which offers multiple departure times to the major sights in the city and the beach.